last name. His first name is Ramon, but he doesn’t like it.”
Eric walked over and leaned on the car next to Angel and Sarah. He looked exhausted. Sarah rested her head on Angel’s shoulder.
“Oh, hey,” Angel said looking at Eric. “This is Sarah. Sarah, this is my friend, Eric.”
Sarah held her head up just long enough to say hello. Angel knew Eric assumed she was just another girl he’d picked up. Sarah moved off of Angel and leaned against the car now, but he still held her hand. “Where could she be?” Sarah grimaced.
They all stood there watching the driveway of the house where the party had been. There were people still walking out, and standing around the front of the house. A car pulled up and let someone out of the back seat. It was Jesse Strickland. The car that had dropped him off drove right past them and up the street.
Sarah didn’t see him at first but when she did, she straightened out. Angel noticed and his muscles tensed. “Something wrong?”
“Can we leave?” Her eyes were still on Jesse.
Jesse walked in a hurry to the back yard. Eric and Angel exchanged glances.
“What about Valerie?” Angel asked.
“We’ll come back for her,” she said, “I just don’t wanna be here right this minute.”
Angel stared at her for a second. “Sure.”
He let go of her hand to gather up the ice chests. Sarah tried Valerie again on her phone. For whatever reason, Jesse made Sarah nervous and Angel didn’t like it. He grabbed the ice chests and threw them in the trunk, then walked Sarah around and into the car. He sat down next to her and reached for her hand immediately. Eric eyed him through the rearview mirror.
“Let’s drop off this guy first,” Eric said motioning toward Romero. “Then if you want, you can drop me off and take my car. I’ll pick it up in the morning.”
Angel smiled. Suddenly he was relieved he’d only had two beers. He wasn’t ready to say goodnight to Sarah yet. He could always count on Eric to understand.
***************
Minutes passed, while she sat in the passenger seat, heart pounding, waiting for Valerie to answer her phone.
“Hello?”
“Valerie?”
“Sarah, I’ve been so worried. Where are you?”
“I’m with Angel. We’re dropping off his friend. Are you on your way home?”
“Home? It’s still early, there’s another party we’re going to. Do you need me to come get you?” Valerie asked.
“No, I think I’m good for now.”
“Oh, my God, are you and Angel gonna hang out?” Valerie gushed.
The thought of what Valerie meant by hang out, made Sarah’s heart beat even harder. She bit her lip.
“I’m not sure,” Sarah said. “I’ll call you and let you know where to meet me.”
“Is he right there next to you?” Valerie whispered, as if he might hear her.
Sarah giggled. “No, he’s outside with his friend. I’m in the car.”
“You have to make out with him Sarah, so, you can tell me all about it.”
Sarah laughed nervously, her face suddenly warm. “Valerie!” she gasped, “I hardly know him.”
“He’s totally hot. What more do you need to know?”
Sarah's body heat went up. Valerie wasn’t helping her already strained nerves. “I gotta go. He’s on his way back,” she lied.
“Okay, okay, bye.”
Her cousin was so different than Sarah when it came to guys. Valerie was commitment-phobic. She’d had one serious relationship, and she said it nearly suffocated her. She could easily just make out with someone without giving it a second thought.
Sarah didn’t think any less of Valerie for enjoying her freedom. She just couldn’t understand how Valerie could turn off the emotions just like that. To Sarah, even holding hands inevitably meant feelings were involved. It wasn’t something she could do and not feel anything, just the thought that Angel might kiss her tonight had her in knots.
She